Top Chieftains of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state have rejected the nomination of Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as the candidate of the party for the September 22 governorship election in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital on Thursday, the party chieftains and six of the governorship aspirants of the party said the last Saturday PDP primary election was won by Dr Akin Ogunbiyi and that it was manipulated in favour of Senator Adeleke.
One of the party chieftains who was also a governorship aspirant, Professor Deolu Durotoye urged the National Working Committee of the party to upturn the result of the primary election and declare Ogunbiyi as the candidate.
He urged the NWC of the party to reconsider its stand on the Appeal filed by Dr Akin Ogunbiyi. He insisted that Ogunbiyi was the actual winner of the Osun PDP primary election.
“We are making this call as leaders and major stakeholders in the Party who are desirous of salvaging the Osun State PDP and rekindling the hope of thousands of our members in all local governments”
He lamented that the PDP primary election was marred by gross violations of the Electoral Guidelines issued by the NWC.
“We make bold to say that Senator Adeleke did not in fact score the highest number of votes in that primary election having polled a total number of 1569 as against his major opponent, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi whose actual votes at the point of sorting was 1690.”
“Such a brazen disregard for best global practices in electoral processes is certainly unexpected of a party desirous of dislodging a party in government through a free and fair election.”
“The most unfortunate aspect however was the utter neglect and refusal of the National Working Committee of our party sitting as an appeal committee to redress this clear case of electoral fraud and injustice perpetrated by the Electoral Panel on Saturday.”
Durotoye said the outcome of the PDP primary was rejected because Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke was not the choice of majority of delegates at the Primary election.
He added that Adeleke is the least qualified of the 11 aspirants who obtained forms to contest for the primaries of the PDP.
Accoring to him, “fielding Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as our Governorship candidate will put the chances of our great party at risk in view of the several legal and moral issues which will arise before and during the electioneering campaign.”
“The candidacy of Senator Adeleke will further divide rather than unite the PDP in Osun State in view of the fact that a great number of party members will not feel secured working for him because of the very controversial circumstances of his nomination.”
Durotoye also said PDP may not be able to secure the support of critical stakeholders in the State with Senator Adeleke’s candidacy because of what he described as “Adeleke’s not too impressive public conduct as a Senator.”
Other aspirants present at the press conference including Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, Senator Felix Ogunwale, Dr Ayoade Adewopo.